


Once Upon a Dream

by DreamsofFire



Category: Fate/stay night (Anime 2006)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:29:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24352135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamsofFire/pseuds/DreamsofFire
Summary: Soulmates ripped apart from the terrible hands of Fate, two starcrossed paragons will stop at nothing to get the chance to live their lives out together against all odds.
Relationships: Emiya Shirou/Artoria Pendragon | Saber
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, I am writing my fanfic/wishes for what happens after the events of the Fate route with Saber x Shirou. It made me happy that they eventually had their happy ending in Avalon, but I wish to give life to the idea of them reuniting before then. I will do my best to keep true to each character's beliefs and personalities. For all the amazing lore buffs out there, I just want to apologize ahead of time if I get any details wrong, or don't write in any personalities correctly, if this happens feel free to let me know.

* * *

"Shirou..." an all too familiar voice called out to him, and his eyes lifted from the field beneath him to her, just as beautiful as the first day he saw her. Emerald eyes, her bright blonde hair, let down and flowing in the wind.

"Saber!" he shouted back, as she stood twenty feet away. For some reason, he recognized this moment, the feeling of dread began to fill up in his chest, weighing him down. He started to run towards her, using all the strength he could muster. Saber just looked back at him with a smile, which was a rare sight for her, and always left him with a weak sensation in his knees.

"I love you, Shirou." she answered back to him before closing her eyes, and she began to dissolve into the bright golden mist.

_I won't let you go this time..._

He told himself, but even he didn't believe it. He's been here before, a hundred times, and knew what was going to happen, but he tried anyway. He would try a hundred times again, and more. Shirou was only feet away now, and he reached out his hand, hoping to save her from her fate, but just as his hand was about to touch her, she vanished.

"SABER!"

Shirou's momentum kept him stumbling forward as his body ran through the space that was once filled by Artoria, causing him to stumble. It didn't help that a moment after she disappeared, his vision went black. He fell forward onto his hands and knees, surprised by the cold stone floor that he collided with, expecting the grass of the field he was just running across.

It wasn't long until a voice called out to him, one that wasn't familiar at all, "After all this time, you're the one?"

The man's tone was one of disbelief, and maybe even annoyance.

Shirou rose to a knee, blinking as he gazed into the darkness hoping his eyes would adapt, "The one what?" Shirou asked in confusion, unable to pinpoint where exactly the other voice had come from.

After a few moments of silence, a torch was lit on a stone wall to his left, about six feet away, basking the room in dim light. However, the man was sitting only a few feet away from Shirou directly in front of him, on top of a ledge that was no higher off the ground than an ordinary chair. The man wore a white robe with black pants and had a staff in his right hand which was planted on the ground, and he twirled it idly.

It was still hard to see, but he saw a subtle smirk forming on the man's lips, "Well, the one Artoria wanted more than being a great king."

There weren't many things that could get to Shirou, but this stranger's remark stung him for some reason, and he narrowed his eyes at the robed man, "Who are you? And where the hell am I?"

"Sit." the man replied, and Shirou looked around for a chair, but just as he was about to inform the man about the lack of any chairs he found himself suddenly sitting in one, a rather nice one at that.

He blinked a few times and looked over at the magus silently.

"My name is Merlin, and welcome to my home."

This made Shirou go wide-eyed in disbelief, "Merlin? I was expecting something different..."

Merlin smirked once more and stood up straight, leaning some of his weight on his staff, "And what was that? An old man with a beard and a pointy hat?"

Judging by the stern look on Shirou's face, it was clear to Merlin that he was in no mood for humor.

"Why am I here, is this even real?

"Yes... And no."

"Well... That doesn't help much."

"You are here because I can reunite you with her."

Shirou felt his heart skip a beat, he can see her again? No way this was real... But if there was a chance...

"What? How... How do you even know about any of this?"

Merlin heaved an overdramatic sigh, "I guess you don't know who I am then, do you boy? I saw the whole war from here... I can see just about anything I want, I just can't leave."

Shirou furrowed his brows, and scratched the back of his head, "Why not?"

"I've been trapped here... The magic that contains me here even surpasses my power. But I can see past these barriers, and as you can see, I can even contact others."

"If you are stuck here and can't get out, how are you going to help me?" Shirou asked, and his hope began to fade.

"You are going to help me get out, of course. Your projection magic is far beyond anything I've ever seen. And you already possess the ability to travel here."

"There's the catch... I don't think whoever it is that trapped you here will be too happy that I will be trying to break you out of wherever here is." Shirou said in a bit of defiance.

Merlin rolled his eyes, and turned to look at the wall behind himself, "This is true, and a dangerous enemy she is. Though if you were to learn the entire story between her, myself, and Artoria you may not care as much... Anyways..." Merlin drifted off as he conjured a projection on the wall, an image of Artoria slumped against a tree after The Battle of Camlann.

"Saber..."

"I believe you have more than enough reason to help me. And you will not be risking the lives of anyone else to do so. Are you really willing to pass up this opportunity?" Merlin said smugly, absolutely confident that it was going to go his way, and he was right.

"Fine... How do I get you out of here?"

"The same way you've defeated some of your strongest foes, of course. I'm sure you can figure it out." the white-haired magus said with more confidence than Shirou had in himself at the moment.

Shirou went to speak reply but was swiftly cut off by Merlin

"I'm afraid our time is up... If you ever wish to see Artoria again. Find me, and free me from this prison Shirou."

Merlin smashed the bottom of his staff against the stone floor and everything went black.

Shirou opened his eyes and sat up, he was breathing heavily and covered in sweat, but he recognized where he was.

In his own bed.

_Was that a dream? Or a nightmare?_

He wondered as he laid back down in the bed. It all seemed too real, felt too real... What was he supposed to do to reach him?

Shirou let himself think about this for the rest of the night, and he was not surprised he was not able to get any sleep. Which caused him to think through the mornings rising sun as well.

* * *

It had been over a year since that Fateful day Saber had destroyed the grail, and every day since then was a reminder of what he had lost. His life had been peaceful, but mundane before Artoria had arrived. She gave him something he had not been able to find on his own, something he truly wanted for himself, and that was her. He had thought that doing the right thing would give him peace, and it did for a while, but this was a case where time did not heal the wound he was given that day.

After a few months, he began having the same dream. She would be standing there, as she was on the day she left, and he would run for her, but he would never get to her in time. Every time he tried his hardest, his hope being if he could reach her in his dream, he could pull her back into his life, and way from the horrible fate that she was left to in her time.

The image Merlin had shown him in this, dream, or vision, whatever it was did not help him.

"Is everything okay, senpai?" Sakura called out to him, a look of concern clear on her face as she watched Shirou stare into his breakfast blankly.

Shirou shook his head as he was pulled from his thoughts, and forced a smile as he looked to Sakura.

"Oh... Yeah, heh... I'm fine. Just had a bad dream was all." he said as he looked back down to his breakfast, he felt bad but he was just not hungry.

"Oh... Okay, did you want to talk about it?"

"No... it's fine... I don't think I'm going to be going to school today either, Sakura, I'm not feeling too well either."

Shirou wasn't really lying, but it didn't make him feel any less guilty about it.

He sat at the table with her until she eventually gathered her things to head to school, she asked him once more before she left if he was going to be okay on his own, but with some reassuring, she eventually left.

He shut the door behind her and turned to lean his back on it. He ran his hand down his face in exasperation, the dream which resulted in his utter lack of sleep, and now robbing him of his breakfast had him stressed.

But while laying in bed on hours with nothing to do but think, he had already come to his decision. If there were even a chance that he could see her again, and that this dream or vision was real. He would try it.

Shirou pushed himself from the door and marched through the compound, towards the building where he originally summoned Artoria in the grail war, figuring that if he were to succeed in whatever it is he was supposed to do, that would be the best spot. He pulled the door open for the first time in months, the building pulling the strings of his heart too strongly every time he entered, so he eventually stopped coming. Dust swirled and the light revealed several cobwebs that had developed due to the negligence of the building.

He knelt, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath as he thought on the matter once more. Merlin's words echoed in his mind.

_The same way you have defeated your most dangerous foes._

_Visualize..._

"Trace... On."

Judging the concept of creation...

Shirou paused, unable to think of what it could be to take him where he needed to go... Hoping that it would just come to him as he began, but his mind went blank.

"Again..."

_Visualize it_

He strained as he shut his eyes until he finally cried out in frustration.

"What am I suppose to do?!" and unlike himself, he was about to give up already, chopping the whole thing up to some hopeless dream. But then the image Merlins showed up came to the forefront of his mind. A wounded, dying Artoria laying against a tree, the woman that sacrificed her future twice to save all those around her. Perhaps death would grant her peace in her time, but if he was able to save her from this Fate, and give her a new life of happiness, he would do it, and he will not give up so easily.

"Trace, **on**."

_Visualize yourself at your strongest..._

_Judging the concept of creation._

The summoning circle in the room began to glow, and the area around him began to swirl with wind, evident as dust and cobweb flowed around alike.

_Hypothesizing the basic structure._

A sudden ball of light formed between Shirou's hands and his body began to feel as if it were on fire as his magical circuits began to surge with mana.

_**Visualize...** _

_Duplicating the composition material._

The light began to slowly rise, creating a wide golden line in its wake.

_Imitating the skill of its making._

_Sympathizing with the experience of its growth._

_Reproducing the accumulated years._

_**Visualize it!** _

_Excelling every manufacturing process._

Shirou opened his eyes, and he was nearly blinded by the bright divine light that was floating between his hands.

"Avalon..."

Without another moment of hesitation, he reached out with both hands, and grasped Excalibur's sheath with both hands. The sheath's light quickly engulfed him, and he was indeed blinded for several moments before he felt a cool wind blowing through his hair, and the sun on his face.

He opened his eyes and found himself kneeling in an open field with a clear blue sky, a small forest off to his right, and a large tower to his left. He still had no idea where he was really, but somehow Avalon sent him here, perhaps this was Avalon... He shook his head and stood up, he had a mission he needed to complete, and Merlin was likely in that tower. Wanting to waste no more time, Shirou broke into a sprint towards the tower. He must ran for a solid two minutes straight before he finally arrived at the base of the stone structure.

This must be it he thought, the stone being the same kind of stone from his dream. He walked around the tower once, then twice. Then scratched the back of his head in confusion. There were no doors, or windows of any kind along the exterior of the tower.

Shirou closed his eyes and traced an ordinary sword into his hand. At this point, this kind of magic had been easy for him. He took a firm grip of the handle and was ready to test a theory he had in his head. He swung the sword at the stone wall of the tower and a powerful blast of energy blew him back and shattered the sword in his hand.

He landed several feet away on his rear, staring at the tower in shock. Well, he wasn't surprised really, he expected something of the sort to happen, just not to that extreme. If this tower were to hold a mage such as Merlin, who by legend alone was known as a strong magus. Surely there would be more than just stone to keep him contained. Now, perhaps something of equal strength could cut this barrier open?

"Trace, on..."


	2. Continue the Dream?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shirou reunites with Saber, but is it for real, will it last?

**AN:** _Okay, just a taste. And There will be a lot of action to come. I do love writing out fight scenes, hope I do it well when they come. Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Again, feel free to leave any feedback or complaints if you have any!_

* * *

**Earlier in the year...**

The sound of wood cutting through the air echoed throughout the dojo for hours, and sweat was dripping from Shirou's brow as he practiced his swordplay alone. He had been training for hours, a daily routine he had kept even after Saber had been gone. It was one of the few things that gave him comfort, and in a way, made him feel closer to her. When he made a misstep or left himself open after a strike, he could hear Artoria's voice in his head. Especially if he worked himself past the bring, a particular phrase she told him always came to his mind.

"Overworking yourself is just as bad as not training at all."

Her words were stern, but from a place of caring, and eventually, he realized from a place of love as well. A smile formed on his face as the memory of her words comforted him, and he placed the training sword back on the rack, his eyes lingering the one resting next to it, the one she used.

It still had a crack along the side of the shaft, that stopped just as it reached the hilt. He was starting to get better, and Artoria began to push him harder; in the process she used a bit more force than she meant and smacked Shirou's training sword from his hand with such force it cracked her own weapon. At the time it didn't mean much to him, but now all the little things she left behind held far more sentiment.

* * *

**Present Day**

"Trace, on."

It has to be perfect, visualize it, don't overthink it, don't try to improve.

Light formed in Shirou's palm, which eventually molded into the form of Caliburn. The grip felt perfect in his hand as if the blade could have been made for him, he knew this wasn't true, but he gripped onto the hilt of the Sword of Selection and steeled himself. He lifted his gaze back to the stone tower wrapped in powerful warding magic, Merlin told him very little, but if he was as wise and powerful as the stories made him out to be, then he trusted Shirou for a reason, at least that's what Shirou hoped was the case.

Slowly, he raised the holy sword above his head.

'Here goes nothing.' he thought to himself before speaking the true name of the blade.

"Cal-..."

As he began to speak the name of the sword, he could feel the mana inside him start to surge and heat quickly rising in the sword he held above his head. He had used the sword before when he and Artoria wielded it together to defeat Hercules. He was unsure if he had the strength to use such a weapon, he was not as strong as her. But just as he was in the past, he would not let the threat of his own wellbeing stop him from trying to reach her, from trying to save her.

"IBURN!"

As he finished speaking the name of the sword, the heat and mana levels reached their apex, the area around him swirled in orbs of magical light. He swung the sword down in a vertical cut towards the tower, straight down the middle, bringing a massive beam of holy fire in its wake.

Merlin, however, was completely unaware of what was happening inside and was in meditation on, fortunately, a side of the tower that was not in the path of Caliburn's attack. Still, the searing light that suddenly cut through his prison shocked Merlin, causing him to fall over and scurry from the light which disappeared as quickly as it came. He sat there unsure of what to do next, but then the tower began to crumble with him inside. He did not know high up he was exactly which became a problem for the first time as he began to plummet down to the ground surrounded by large pieces of stone rubble. And the sword dissolved into an ethereal light the same way it was formed.

* * *

Sir Bedivere gently places Artoria, his King, against a tree in the forest. In hopes that the sword will heal her in this place of purity. Even in this moment, the knight shows unwavering loyalty and love for his king. And kneels down in front of her as he speaks. Resting his arm on his knee.

"King Arthur... I will call for reinforcements immediately, please stay here." he says reassuringly, refusing to believe that these would be his king's final moments. He was not sure if he could hear her, as Artoria seemed to be unconscious for the whole ride. To his surprise, however, she speaks to him.

"Bedivere..." Artoria calls out quietly, her eyes reminiscent of emeralds thrusting their gaze to her most loyal follower.

"You have regained consciousness?" he asked in disbelief, desperately wanting to believe she will survive.

Artoria had a content smile on her lips, one that gave Bedivere the feeling that she was at peace with what was transpiring.

"Yes, I was briefly dreaming."

"A dream?"

"Yes... I don't have dreams often... It was an invaluable experience."

"Then... Please rest without any worries." Bedivere said with pain in his heart, but with gentleness in his voice.

"If you close your eyes again, you will surely continue dreaming where you left off."

Artoria's fading heart skipped a beat, "To continue the dream?" the idea had not crossed her mind, but Bedivere's words filled that dying heart with hope... A wish, a dream that she could see him again, to see Shirou. "Can I dream the same dream?"

The genuine tone of the question hurt Bedivere... The pain was clear on the Knight's face, but he wanted to be strong for her, in her final moments of life. He then opened his eyes again and looked down at her with reassurance once more.

"Yes, I have experienced it before. If you wish strongly for it..."

"I see."

Could she wish for such a thing? Knowing that she could be drawn into yet another war... Would Shirou be the one to summon her? She wanted it more than anything, but she accepted that the price was too high... But maybe... Maybe when she closed her eyes, as Bedivere said...

Maybe she could continue the dream.

* * *

As the dust cleared, the man Shirou had seen in his vision of sorts stood inside a purple-hued barrier at the base of where the tower once stood, surrounded by rubble. Shirou scolded himself internally for not thinking that such a strike could possibly hurt or kill Merlin, he was waiting for the magus to lash out at him in some sort of rage. What he got was quite the opposite, though.

Laughing... He heard laughing, quiet at first, but it soon grew as Merlin bent at the waist as he erupted into a fit of laughter.

"Finally! I'm out of that godforsaken place! Oh, what a thrill it was to fear death even if it was fleeting!" he yelled out into the heavens of Avalon.

Shirou stared at Merlin as he had his short period of laughter, "Hey, are you alright!?" Shirou then began to jog over towards the magus in his crazed laughter.

As Shirou approached, Merlin's laughter faded, and he kept his gaze on him with a subtle smirk still locked on his lips.

"Yes, I am fine... I suppose I should have expected you to not fully understand the amount of power that sword could produce... Not great anticipation for someone capable of foresight now is it?" he said with a grin, even letting himself chuckle for a moment at his own remark.

"Foresight? Like, you can see the future?" Shirou asked with a bit of amazement.

"Sometimes." Merlin replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders, and began to pat his robe down trying clear off the dust and debris, "Let's not stand in this wreckage..."

Merlin beckoned Shirou to follow as he stepped from the remains of what was supposed to be his eternal prison. He was not sure how long he had been there, but the magus had seen events unfold across many timelines and wars so he was sure it quite some time.

As curious as Shirou was about the capabilities of Merlin, he was going through all of this for a reason, a means to an end. Merlin was free, and now he was supposed to help him save Artoria.

"Okay, I've held up my end. I got you out of that tower. Now, we have to save her." Shirou said in quite the demanding tone, quickly following behind the magus.

"Oh... Right, I almost forgot..." Merlin turned around, planting his staff in the ground by his left, leaning his weight on it once more, "You should know you are on borrowed time. Thankfully, this place has an odd effect on time. So it's rather unknown how long you are going to be here, however... Once we get to her, your time will go rapidly, and you will fade back to your time." Merlin informed.

Shirou gulped, this was not what he wanted... Not entirely, but if he could see once more, even for a short while, and save her life. It was worth everything to him, as he's said before. There is nothing more important to him than her, nothing could ever replace her.

"How long?" he muttered

"Hmm... Ten minutes, max? Most likely less." Merlin answered cooly, though he failed at keeping the frown on his face which turned into a soft smile.

Shirou was hoping that maybe he could at least get day, but ten minutes? He would have to leave her again, he would be so close only to be ripped away. And why was he smiling? Was he happy to see him like this?

Emiya didn't need to say anything for Merlin to understand the thoughts running through his head, "Do not worry, kid." he started, as he turned back to the field on his right and closed his eyes, "I will bring her back to your time after you fade back to it. She will no longer be safe in her own time, and neither will I." he continued, and a purple glow began to form around the top of his staff.

Shirou jerked his head up, tearing his gaze from the grass below back to the Magus, "Wait, what? Why didn't you say that from the start?" Shirou exclaimed. Though there was anger in his voice, and he was angry at Merlin for playing with his feelings the way he was. It was still good news, there was hope for a future again.

"You must know something though Shirou... She will no longer be a servant..." Merlin said as he continued his ritual, runes the same purple glow as the one on his staff began to form in a circle on the ground in front of him, burning away the grass that lay in the center."

"So... She won't be as strong?" Shirou questioned.

Merlin snorted out of amusement, "Quite the opposite. Artoria was a Heroic Spirit, and as a servant she was limited to the ability of her class. Without this limitation, she has all of her strengths and abilities at her disposal. She will also no longer need your mana... Though, with the bond you two share, I'm interested to see how that will play out..."

"Our bond? What do you-" Shirou was cut off as he felt the presence of someone behind him, and he immediately turned around to the sight of a woman standing several feet in front of him.

It appeared to be a young woman with long blonde hair coupled by a crown and a veil covering her face. She seemingly wore a black dress that exposes her navel and abdomen.

_'This can't be good.'_

"Who are you?" Shirou demanded, and lowered his stance as if he were getting to ready to fight, he didn't know why, but he knew this woman was bad news.

"You have no idea the chain of events you are about to set off, boy. Step aside, and you will be forgiven. This is your only chance. Return to your time and forget of this path you wish to walk down." the woman said coldly, his gaze felt as if it was burning into his soul.

_'Walk away... Now? No... I've come to far... I've come too close, I won't give up now, not on her.'_

"Shirou, don't, come. We have to go now!" Merlin called out, as he finished his ritual and opened up a small portal which had an emerald shimmer around the edge, filled with the blackness of the void.

He grunted, and turned on the heels of his shoes and ran towards the portal. He spared a glance over his shoulder to see the woman powering up magical attacks of her own in the palms of her hands. Shirou glared back the portal and watched as Merlin passed through it, he grunted as he pushed himself as hard as he could, he was only feet away now. He took another look over his shoulder and saw a sphere of malevolent black energy aimed right for his head. Shirou dove through the portal, which swiftly shut behind him and found himself sliding through a mixture of dirt and grass once again...

The forest was rather peaceful for a moment, when a loud distorted noise erupted close by, spitting two people out of it. One actually walked out rather gracefully, while the second made his entrance on his hands and knees. Not far from where both Artoria and Bedivere had been speaking.

"Who are you two, state your business here, now!" Sir Bedivere shouted, drawing his sword at the same time. He was wounded and exhausted from battle and the ride here, but he would gladly give the rest of what he had, including his life to protect the final moments of the king.

Shirou lifted his head to see who was shouting, his mouth opened to answer him, but his attention was instantly taken by the woman lying against the tree, who was also staring right at him now.

"Saber!?" he lifted himself to his feet, he knew he didn't have much time now. He briefly looked over to Merlin who was now also leaning his shoulder against a tree, and nodded to Shirou. He didn't need the magus' go ahead, but after receiving the nod he began to stumble his way towards her... His pace growing rapidly just like the beat of his heart.

Bedivere raised his sword towards him, "Stay back."

"Shirou?" Artoria whispered. She could feel his presence, and an energy flowed between the two like a raging river. An energy that was quickly returning the fallen king's strength to her. Shirou felt it too, their connection as people surpassed the one they had as servant and master. Two halves that had been living in two different times, two different lives. Neither could find happiness without the other, and it was only when they were together could they feel complete.

It had only been minutes, an hour at most that she had last seen him, and in her mind it was the last time. She was unsure of what he was doing here, how, or why, or if it was real. Perhaps it was just a dream? Bedivere looked back to his King who seemed to recognize the boy, and lowered his sword, though he still kept it at the ready as Shirou ran past him.

Shirou fell to his knees by Artoria's side, and quickly found her left hand and squeezed it with each of his own, "I'm here... Saber..."

Artoria smiled, and lifted her right hand and rested the palm against Shirou's cheek, "Am... I dreaming? Have I... Continued the dream?"

Shirou shook his head, and he could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, "No... I'm really here, Saber... I'm not going to let anything happen to you ever again." he declared, and he meant it.

Artoria stared up into Shirou's eyes, as if she were searching them for answers, "But how? How is this possible?

"I want to explain it to you, and I will... But I couldn't have done it without Merlin." Shirou said as he squeezed her hand a bit tighter.

"Mer- Wait, what do you mean... You don't have much time?" she fretted, and Shirou felt her own hand squeezing his now. She did not want be apart from him again, she did not want to lose him twice in such a short time.

"Don't worry... It won't be for long, I promise. Okay?" Shirou assured her, and he smiled softly to her as well.

Artoria wanted to protest, but as she was about to speak, Shirou leaned down to her. In these moments, ones that only Shirou could bring out of her. She was not the king of knights, or a Heroic Spirit. She was Artoria, the woman that fell in love with him. She closed her eyes as his lips met hers, and once again the two halves were connected, never to be torn apart again. Their bond burned inside her, raising the embers in her heart into a roaring fire. They were fully connected in body and soul, more than they have been ever before. Both could feel it, but neither understood why, but the reason did not matter, it only mattered that they had each other once again.

The scene before him was entirely shocking, never before has Bedivere seen his king show any form of love or emotion the entire time he has been in his service. And in his mind, it was with another man. Even for a knight of his repute, this caused his cheeks to turn slightly red. To this day Bedivere believed his king was truly a man. He had no objections to this revelation but was shocked none the less. He swallowed heavily and looked away.

The kiss felt as if it lasted for eternity, but as he broke it, even that felt like it was not long enough for the both of them. Shirou opened his eyes, and gazed into her emeralds obscured by strands of golden hair dangling in front of them.

"I love you, Saber." he said softly, his voice carried desire and passion. But also dismay, knowing he had to go. He believed he would see her again, but did not know for how long.

I-" she opened her mouth to reply, but in just a moment Shirou vanished in a cloud of golden orbs of light.

Artoria's eyes widened, and her hand pushed through the golden spheres of light that began to swirl where he just knelt. It took a moment for her to come back to her senses after what she just experienced, but as the light cleared from in front of her, she saw Merlin in the distance, holding a flower up to his nose. He seemed as content as ever, inhaling its fragrance deeply.

"My king... You... What is going on?" he asked, taking a step closer towards her.

His words fell on deaf ears. Her focus was entirely on Merlin, and Artoria gripped onto Excalibur that was laying in the dirt by her side, and used it to help herself to her feet. She was not at her full strength just yet, and the wound to her ribs still wracked with pain. After spending so long as a servant, she had forgotten what pain truly felt like for a while. But it would take more than that to stop her.

"Merlin! What have you done, where did he go?! I am in no mood for games." she commanded and marched towards the magus, who continued to take in the fresh air of freedom granted to him by Shirou.

She grunted and buckled over slightly, placing a hand over the wound to her side.

"My king... You musn't be so reckless... You need rest." the night said as he rushed to her aid, holding onto her arm in case she fell. Artoria looked to him, her expression as stoic as it has ever been before.

"I will be fine, Bedivere... This must be very confusing for you... I'm sorry." she regarded the knight for a moment in silence, appreciating the loyalty he has given her all this time, "You have been a most valuable subject, Sir Bedivere... But even more importantly, a great friend. I am sorry how things all ended here." and for the first time Bedivere has known Artoria, she smiled to him.

"There is nothing to apologize for, my king." was all he said in reply, and returned a smile back to Artoria.

She pulled herself from the grasp of the knight, and continued on her path to Merlin, intent on getting answers.

* * *

Shirou fell onto the floor of the shack he was in when he summoned Avalon, finding himself completely drained. Then he heard a familiar voice calling out to him from the entrance.

"Shirou! You idiot, what were you doing!?" Rin yelled out at him, she was definitely angry but it was purely out of concern that he had done something stupid, and probably nearly killing himself in the process.

"I was... It's gonna be kinda hard to explain... What are you even doing here?" he said as he looked over to Rin who was now kneeling beside him, looking him over for injuries.

Rin glared at him for a moment in silence, as if she were mad he had the audacity to ask her that after the stunt he just pulled, whatever it was.

"Sakura told me you weren't feeling good, and thought something was off. So I decided to come check up on you myself. Seems like I made the right decision too." Rin spoke with a matter of fact tone, one that Shirou was in no mood to argue with. Instead, he relented.

"I guess you're right... But I'm fine... Heh, really." Shirou forced a smile and rose to his feet, though he quickly grew dizzy and his balance was deteriorating. "Woah... That's not normal." he noted audibly, humor in his voice but a clear grimace on his face.

"Jeez you look really pale, Shirou what happened? What were you doing?" she demanded once more, stepping closer as she could tell that something wasn't quite right with him at the moment. Shirou glanced out the door behind Rin and noticed it was dark outside.

_'Man, how long was I gone for?'_

He didn't get a chance to ask what time it was, or anything else as his vision quickly went black.

* * *

Merlin raised a single eyebrow as she noticed the angry King storming over towards him, and she gave him a very unique glare that was reserved especially for him. As she got closer, he turned towards Artoria and spoke, "What's that saying, Artoria? Sometimes one should just... Stop and smell the roses? Yeah?" she said as he offered the flower to her, a smirk pulling on the corner of his lips.

Having none of it, she simply ignored his remark and the flower, staring up at Merlin.

"How was Shirou here, Merlin. And how are you here? What is it you have done?" she demanded once again, her emerald gaze as fierce as a lion.

"I will let Shirou reveal that to you. If you wish to see him again, of course." Merlin knew what she wanted, but it was in his nature to be coy.

"I do... How do we get to him?" Artoria asked, her voice carrying more desperation they'd she'd like to let on. She could tell Merlin was enjoying this.

The magus let another devious smirk form on his face, and he turned to face Artoria. "A simple spell, the same one that brought us here. Though, I will be travelling with you."

"Does Shirou know of this? His friends don't take very well to strangers appearing in his home." the king demurred, her eyes narrowing skeptically at Merlin.

And Merlin simply shrugged, "Does this really matter? I am offering you a second chance with him, and you are hesitating over the opinions of his friends?"

Bedivere was listening from a nearby tree, it took him a moment to understood how he felt about his king wishing to leave. But after everything, he could not blame her, and even still, he would want to serve her still. There was nothing more for him here, the round table was gone and it was just them.

"I will be coming too, my king." Bedivere called out, who now took a step closer.

Artoria glared up at Merlin, then furrowed her brows and turned to face Bedivere, "What? Why? I... I don't know if I can allow that, Bedivere..."

"My king..." the knight started, and lowered himself to a single knee, "There is nothing for me in this life, other than my service to you. Let me continue to protect you, and serve you wherever it is you will go."

Artoria tensed the muscles in her jaw, unsure of what to say.

"It would be wise to take him with us." Merlin interjected, as he leaned against a tree, "The forces that kept me locked away will not be happy about my freedom, nor will they forget who it was that aided me. I get the feeling we will need all the help we can get in the future, Artoria."

Artoria closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted to yell at Merlin for involving Shirou in this personal war they have with Morgan, but she can't help but be thankful for the chance he has given her. She then turns around to face Merlin once more.

"Merlin... Thank you, for doing this. I do not know if it was out of your kind heart or selfishness. But either way you have given me what I wanted more than anything else in my life." Artoria admitted, a genuine and soft smile forming on her face.

Merlin nodded his head, "Don't mention it, are you ready to go?" he asked, and his gaze then averted to Bedivere.

Artoria turned to him as well, and took a step closer to the kneeling knight, "You must understand the world you are about to enter will not be as you know it. And when you follow me down this path, you may not ever be able to return to this time. Are you okay with that, Sir Bedivere?"

The knight nodded without hesitation, "Yes. I am ready for whatever lies ahead. My sword is yours, always." the knight concluded, and rose to his feet.

Artoria then turned and looked to Merlin, who was already preparing the spell.

"I am ready."


	3. Incandescence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Artoria and Shirou experience what a life without war could be like, but will it last?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a while to do this one, rewrote it twice. Originally there was a bit more action but in the end I got carried away with some slow-paced scenes with a bit more foreshadowing :)

"Shirou!?" Rin blurted out in concern and rushed towards the collapsed Shirou. She knelt beside him, and her hands hovered over his body, unsure of what to do at the moment, "Shirou, can you hear me? Shirou!" Rin shouted again, trying to get a reaction. She planted her hands on his shoulder and tried shaking him to see if that got a response. Nope. But after a moment of staring, she realized that he was still breathing normally, which gave her some relief.

She decided it would probably be best if she brought him to his bed and let him rest, but how was she going to do that? He had gotten a bit heavier over the past year, having committed pretty hard to his training and exercise more than ever before. He grew at least another inch as well, surprisingly. She's done harder things than lifting something substantial in her life, so she sucked it up and tucked her hands beneath his shoulders. Rin grunted as she pulled, taking a lot of effort to move him only a few feet towards the exit of the shed. Just as she got him to the door, she plopped down on her butt and released him, deciding she needed a break.

As she sat there, narrowing her eyes while contemplating if she could just leave him there until he woke up, she sensed something behind her. It was magic, she knew that much, but could not tell the source as she looked over her shoulder. The small field outside the shed was empty, just the swaying of the trees in the wind could be heard until a loud crack echoed throughout the courtyard. Followed by a series of runes and a circle forming in the center of the grassy field.

"What now..." Rin muttered to herself as she rose to her feet and placed herself in the doorway. She pulled out a few gemstones from her pocket that she always carried with her, just in case. Whatever this was, undoubtedly, it was caused by whatever nonsense Shirou was pulling in this shed, the result of amateur magecraft. What happened next left her in disbelief and confusion.

Three people appeared before her, Merlin, Artoria, and Bedivere. Only one of whom she recognized.

Merlin took a moment to take in his surroundings, but oddly enough seemed somewhat familiar with them. As he eventually noticed Rin, he simply gave her an eerie smile from beneath the shroud of his hood. Then there was Artoria, who held Excalibur in hand but kept it concealed by her wind magic. She scanned the area around them, ensuring no threats were lurking in the shadows. Her gaze ultimately found Rin, though she was happy to see a friendly face, it was not who she was looking for.

"Rin. Where is Shirou, bring me to him immediately." the blue dressed and armored woman stepped towards the young mage, and was quickly followed by a confused Bedivere. Merlin simply hung his staff out in front of the Knight.

"I would stay out of this for now, if I were you." Merlin advised, slowly turning his head towards him. Bedivere creased his brow and looked to Merlin, though he felt inclined to take the Magus' advice and stood watch from a distance.

"I... He's right here... But what are you doing here, Saber? How are you here? I thought you..." Rin trailed off near the end of her sentence and took a step to the side, revealing Shirou's unconscious self to Artoria.

Artoria gasped quietly, and rushed to Shirou's side, nearly knocking Rin over in the process.

"Rin, what happened to him? Did you find him like this?" Artoria questioned, ignoring Rin's question as she slipped a hand beneath Shirou's head to slightly lift it off the ground. She looked him up and down for any injuries.

Rim huffed as she was shoved aside, "I... No, I didn't... I don't know what happened. He was in front of some sort of light, then he just... Collapsed..." she responded, her voice quiet and still full of confusion. Rin then looked off to her left out the exit of the shack to the two onlookers in the field.

"You should have taken him inside, Rin. One could get sick sleeping in these temperatures." Artoria stated sternly and tucked her hand beneath his neck, and her other beneath his knees. She then lifted him up quite swiftly and carried him out of the shed.

Rin was about to complain about his weight, but after seeing Artoria lift him with such ease, she pouted instead, following Artoria inside.

"What is going on, where are we? And who is this boy Arthur has so much affection for, I've never seen him before." Bedivere asked to Merlin, as they both watched Artoria carry Shirou inside.

Merlin noted the name Bedivere used, and this drew that classic smirk of his onto the magus' face once more. "Oh... My, you are sure in for a surprise then. You still haven't figured out the King's true nature?"

"True nature, what do you speak of?" Bedivere answered he was clearly lost in everything that has transpired since Merlin's arrival.

"Come... There is a lot to explain..." Merlin gestured towards the house and began to tell the tale of Shirou and Artoria to the knight.

Artoria carefully placed Shirou down on his bed and knelt beside him. She slipped her hand into his and held tightly, she would never let herself be separated from him again. She will not leave his side until he wakes, and if she must, she will push Avalon into him as Kiritsugu did long ago. As he lay there, motionless, she noted a few differences in his appearance. He was taller, more prominent. His face showed wear, giving him a grizzled edge he did not have the last time she saw him. It made her wonder how long had passed for him, what had he gone through?

The thought troubled her, she had accepted her fate, and resigned herself to die in her time. He seemed to have pushed himself to return to her, which put a slight smile on her face.

_'He always was stubborn.'_

She thought to herself, as she let her eyes wander down his body, she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. It was on a small desk next to the wall near his bed. It was the lion he bought for her, on the day he first told her he loved her, and they fought off Gilgamesh together.

"Saber?" Shirou groaned; it was almost a whisper.

Pulled from her reverie, she looks back down to Shirou, "Yes, I am here, Shirou, are you okay?" she quickly answered as she met his gaze with her own, squeezing his hand a bit tighter.

Shirou nodded, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, "Heh, yeah... I just got a bit exhausted from all that time travel stuff, I guess..."

"Good... I must say, I am quite exhausted myself... But, I do not wish to leave your side." she assured, and after a slight pause, she spoke again, "How did you get to me, how is Merlin here?" she asked, worried there may be repercussions for such a break in the timeline.

"Saber, I can explain it all tomorrow... I promise... But right now, can it just you and me, forget the rest of the world exists for just tonight." he says softly, before pulling her by the hand down next to himself.

She didn't resist, and laid down next to him on her side, gazing into his eyes. She wanted to more, she had questions, but those could wait. "I can do that..." she answered warmly. The bond they had as servant and master was intense, emotional. This, being here in person. It felt surreal. She knew there would be time for everything else, because if she had any say in the matter, nothing was going to bring them apart again.

After a minute of silence, the two just basking in the presence of the other, Artoria spoke up.

"Shirou, I wish to ask you something."

"Of course."

"I ask that you stop calling me Saber... I am no longer a servant, and do not hold any sort of class." she requested, her eyes still locked with his.

Shirou studied her for a moment, it was an odd request right now he thought, "Sure... What do you want me to call you then?"

"Artoria..." she said quietly, "My name, before I became King."

"Okay, Artoria." he replied, a smile forming on his lips once more, as well as Artoria's. The way the moonlight gleamed across Artoria's face gave her an otherworldly beauty, and he thought about how ended up in this moment with her. For her, he would do it all a million times over, and he knew she would do the same for him.

"What are you thinking about, Shirou?" she asked, seemingly able to see his thoughts through their interlocked gaze.

"Nothing." he answered and leaned forward, planting his lips softly against hers. He pulled Artoria closer, but Shirou was taken by surprise by her reaction, which was her meeting his lips with hers more firmly. Artoria exhaled out her nose deeply and used her hand to gently push Shirou onto his back. It was not long until their clothes pooled around them on the floor, and Shirou's hand slid across Artoria's scarred body. Surely the result of a lifetime of war and selflessness. He would not let another scar mar her skin again, that life was over. As the night went on, the two lovers entwined themselves, forgetting of the world and all its troubles. The problems of their mortal coil can wait until the morning sun. They did not need to speak, as every touch, every movement said more than any word ever could. With the just the moonlight illuminating them, their incandescent love burned throughout the night.

Rin began to round the corner that led to the bedroom, having helped Merlin fill in the blanks for Bedivere as they sat in the dining room she felt that maybe Shirou would be awake now. The sounds coming from the room were unmistakable and Rin blushed profusely. She turned her on her heels and quickly rushed her way back to the others.

"Well... Shirou is most definitely awake..." Rin said bluntly, her cheeks still rose-colored.

"That is good news... Where is Arthur- I mean... Artoria?" Bedivere inquired, not picking up on Rin's discomfort.

"Oh... Uhm... She's busy, I uh, don't think we should bother them until tomorrow!" Rin was doing her best to remain calm and not flustered by what she knows is going on in the other room.

Merlin was quite amused by Rin's reaction, and even more so by Bedivere's ignorance of Rin's implications. Rin gave him a look as if she were asking for help in explaining the situation, to which Merlin replied by sitting back slightly, feigning ignorance as well.

Bedivere noted the look Rin was giving Merlin, and though he still did not understand why she was still so hesitant to let anyone see them he relented.

"Fine. I suppose it would be wise for us to get some rest then? I do believe tomorrow will bring us many new challenges." Bedivere said as he then leaned on the wall, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword casually.

Rin exhaled in relief now that she could think about something else, "I will... Get you two some blankets..." Rin sighed, slightly frustrated with having to attend to all of Shirou's new guests while he... Nevermind, she didn't want to think about it.

"That won't be necessary for me, I will simply find a place where I can... Meditate." Merlin replied as he rose her lifted his staff and used it to help him stand. Rin couldn't tell if he really even needed the staff to walk or stand like this, he seemed like he was in good physical condition, perhaps it was his way of appearing weak?

"Suit yourself... What about you?" Rin asked, crossing her arms as she looked to Bedivere.

"That would be great, thank you for your hospitality." Bedivere replied as he closed his eyes and dipped his head into a slight nod.

With that, Rin went and found some blankets and pillows from the laundry for Bedivere, before heading to one of the guest rooms herself.

Shirou opened his eyes, the sun in the distance caused him to squint as it crept over the horizon. However, he found he was not in bed, but standing in a field once more.

"Shirou..." Artoria's voice whispered from across the field. The wind helps carry her soft voice to his ears and causing her golden hair to flow freely.

_'Not this again...'_

He thought, and then he saw her. Artoria, standing in the distance. The same dream he's had countless times before. Maybe now it would end differently that he had her with him. Fear swiftly turned to determination.

"I'm coming, Artoria!" he yelled as he broke into a sprint towards her once more. This dream was already different than it had been before, perhaps the end will be different as well.

As he got closer, her body began to fade into orbs of golden light, starting from her feet and slowly rising.

"No! Don't go!" he screamed, his mind filling with panic. He couldn't run any faster.

_'I'm almost there... Just hold on Artoria.'_

But just as before, he was only a moment late. She disappeared moments before he could get to her. He couldn't understand why this was happening, Shirou was sure that once he had her safe with him again, these _nightmares_ would end. Then, he heard her voice again.

"Shirou... Wake up."

He looked around desperately, trying to find the source, but there was nothing, no one. Then, he heard it again and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he never felt so relieved in his life.

Artoria was laying next to him, under the same blanket as him, staring at him with concern.

"Shirou you were having a nightmare..." she stated as she slipped a hand over to find his beneath the covers.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Yeah... It was just a nightmare..." he repeated, and then pulled Artoria against himself tightly, causing Artoria to blush, as they were both still undressed.

"Are you okay?" she asked, as she eventually raised her arms to embrace him tightly as well.

"Yeah... Just... I can't ever lose you again, Artoria..." he said painfully, his embrace tightening around her.

His words were followed by several moments of reticence before she eventually gave him an answer that would ease the trouble that was brewing in his heart.

"And I cannot lose you."

If it weren't for the fact there were three other people currently in his house right now, he would likely have been content to lay there for the next few hours with her. So he sought to get up and get dressed. But a slight protest from Artoria, in the form of not letting him go from her embrace. Was more than enough to get him to remain with her for a bit longer.

The two eventually got up, and began to get dressed. Rin had apparently found Artoria's old clothes from the last time she was here. The white shirt longsleeved shirt with a thin blue tie around the collar. A knee-length blue skirt, covering the black leggings that traveled up her legs beneath. They were folded and left outside the door their room, which made them wonder if she knew what they did last night.

As both Artoria and Shirou walked down the hall towards the kitchen, they could hear that the others have already begun eating. The entered the kitchen and glanced towards the table. Merlin, smiled and nodded to the two in a silent greeting. Rin looked to them, then blushed, quickly returning to her meal. Sakura gave Shirou a somewhat disappointed look as she noticed him walk out with Artoria, "Oh... Good morning Senpai, good morning Saber... I didn't realize you had come back..." she stated meekly before looking back down to her meal.

Now Bedivere was staring at his King in an entirely new light. He had always seen Artoria as a man, as King Arthur. Now seeing Artoria like this, dressed as she was, he did not know what to think. Though he quickly looked away as he was caught staring by Artoria, who also found the situation to be a bit awkward.

"Oh, erm, yeah, she is! But uh, her name's Artoria... And well, she's going to be... Staying a lot longer than before." Shirou started nervously, completely forgetting that Sakura might not take this very well. He then looked back to Artoria who was staring at him now, coldly.

"Yes. I shall be staying here with Shirou, and that is not something that will change." Artoria took Shirou by the hand, dragged him over to the table, and made him sit down next to her. Shirou acquiesced and plopped down in front of a bowl of rather delicious-looking food.

"Sleep well?" Merlin piped to Artoria, to which Rin shot him a glare. Merlin grinned and stuffed a spoonful into his mouth as he awaited the reaction.

Artoria's cheeks turned pink, and she looked down at the bowl in front of her, "Uhm... Well, yes. Quite well, thank you... What about you, Bedivere?" she asked, trying to take the attention away from Merlin's remark.

The knight cleared his throat and took a sip from his cup of tea before answering, "Oh, quite well Arth- Artoria... Erm... Though I'm not too used to sleeping on the floor, I guess a life of living in camps during the campaign has made me accustomed to discomforts."

"Yes, I am sure it has... I do believe we should speak sometime in private... I have a lot that I would like to explain." she said before digging into her own breakfast. She could feel there was a lot of discomfort and tension in the room and was not sure on how to approach it.

And for a while there was an awkward silence, that was eventually broken by Shirou.

"So, where's Taiga? She's not usually one to miss out on your meals, Sakura." he said as he glanced across the table to her.

"Oh, I think she had to show up to school early today. Grading, I think." Sakura answers with a nod.

"Oh... Well, let her know that I'm sorry I can't show up for school today again, but I'll definitely be there tomorrow. Can you do that for me?" Shirou asked kindly.

"Of course, senpai, though you will be able to tell that to her yourself as well over dinner tonight." she informed, giggling briefly before finishing her breakfast.

Shirou swallowed heavily, even after everything he's gone through he still felt worried about how Taiga would react, or if they could convince her Saber was back as an exchange student or something of the sort.

The unlikely group finished their breakfast, and Shirou helped Sakura pack up the leftovers and walked her to the door. After she left, he returned to the others still sitting by the table. He first looked at Bedivere, who was still wearing his armor, with his sword still strapped to his waist.

"Okay... So, we're going to have to get you some new clothes, you're not going to be able to walk around in this time wearing that." Shirou stated matter of factly.

"What is wrong with my clothes?" Bedivere responded, clearly feeling a bit offended as he looked down at what he was wearing.

"Eh, people don't wear armor anymore... Especially not like that, and not in public... I think some of my father's things will fit you, and Rin can take you out to get some other stuff of your own, right?" he looked over to Rin who nearly spit ou her tea as he finished his sentence.

"What?" she blurted out, looking to Bedivere.

"Oh, that would be most kind Rin... It would do me good to get to know the area as well." Bedivere said, his gaze moving from Shirou to Rin. "But what about him-" Bedivere continued, looking over to Merlin who was now gone, "Wh- where did he go?"

The rest of the group all looked over to where Merlin had been seated, only to realize that at some point during the conversation he had slipped away. Or perhaps disappeared?

"What the..." Shirou reached up and scratched the back of his head, "I don't know if we should be worried or not..."

Artoria sighed and shook her head, "Most likely not. Whatever it is he is up to, he will tell us eventually, if it is essential." she informed, pushing herself to her feet.

"Shirou, after you finish gathering something for Bedivere to wear, I wish for you take me to find some more clothes as well... As much as I adore this outfit, I cannot wear it forever," she asserted bluntly.

Rin chuckled, and quickly covered her mouth, "Oh boy, Shirou going clothes shopping..."

"Hey, what's so funny?! I know how to go shopping!" he retorted, shooting a glare at Rin, who was still too busy being amused by the idea. With the look Artoria gave her, she was just as unamused by Shirou with it.

"Well we shall see if you fare any better helping Bedivere, won't we." Artoria said to Rin, folding her hands together in front of herself.

"Oh, I guess we will then." Rin replied, smiling wide.

Shirou rolled his eyes and marched off to get some clothes for Bedivere.

Rin and Bedivere had already head out, and Artoria was helping Shirou wash up the dishes before they were going to leave. As they stood side by side at the counter, Shirou spared a moment to look over at her. It was as if they were two ordinary people right now, and he could imagine living an ordinary life with her. No wars, no blood. He could work as a mechanic or even a chef. And she could teach at the school, something like English, or even swordplay at the dojo.

"Shirou, you're doing it again. Why do you keep staring at me like that?" Artoria spoke up, putting the clean bowl down in the sink as she looked to him. "And do not say it is nothing."

Shirou smiled and shook his head, "It's... I was just thinking... This feels right, doesn't it? No more fighting, no more wars. Just us, doing simple stuff like..." he pauses and glances back to the sink, "Like washing dishes... Going to school, working."

She stared at him for a moment, then slowly looked over towards the chopping board. The moment Shirou taught her how to peel the daikon flooded into her mind. Yes, more moments like that would be wonderful, she thought. It felt so long ago now, and probably even longer for Shirou.

Artoria smiled as well, and turned her emerald eyes back to him, "Yes, I... I think I would like that as well, Shirou."

"You deserve a life like this, Artoria. Let's finish cleaning up and head out, okay?"

Artoria nodded, and the two finished up with the dishes and washed their hands. They then gathered their things and made their way out the front door. Shirou took Artoria by the hand as they walked towards the closest bus stop.

* * *

** The Previous Night **

A swirl of black energy forms on the field in front of the Ryūdō Temple. Emerging from the maelstrom of dark magic was the same woman that had confronted Shirou in Avalon just before his escape. In her hand was a piece of a helmet, which had what looked like a large horn sticking out of the top.

The fae looked over the city of Fuyuki from the mountain, admiring the modern-day world she was now in. She could feel the energy flowing beneath her from the old leyline that was below the temple, and knew this would be a perfect area to plot from for now.

* * *

Mount Miyama, Fuyuki City Present Day

"So... Uh, how do I look?" Bedivere asked as he emerged from the dressing room. He was wearing a collared long sleeve shirt that was laced from the neck to midway down his chest. With black fitted pants, lastly were his shoes, which were solid black.

Rin stared wide-eyed for a moment, "Oh... Uh, yeah, it looks, okay, I guess... Did you pick anything else out?" she asked, seemingly flustered as she crossed her arms and looked away.

"Yeah, a few things... Is everything okay?" Bedivere looked a bit puzzled by Rin's demeanor, but in the short time he's known her, she's been like this quite a bit, so he figured it was just a quirk of hers.

"What do you mean? Huh? I'm fine. Let's just buy what you got and get something to eat, okay?" Rin commanded, and stood up from the bench by the dressing area, proceeding directly to the registers.

Bedivere sighed and followed along.

Meanwhile, Shirou and Artoria were just getting off the bus near another shop.

As they got off Artoria hugged herself tightly, and leaned against Shirou. He looked down at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Cold?" he asked, as they walked down the sidewalk together.

Artoria nodded, welcoming Shirou's warmth.

"Well, guess we should pick up some stuff for the winter while we're out here too then."

Eventually, the pair made it to one of the shops Shirou had taken her too the last time she was here, and he had hoped that the shop keeper didn't recognize her as the woman that was tearing the clothes in half.

Shirou stops as they walk past a rack covered in scarves in an array of different colors, tugging Artoria by the hand lightly, "Hey, look at me real quick."

"Huh?" Artoria turned around and looked at Shirou curiously. He let go of her hand and then picked up a thick, blue scarf and then turned back to her.

"Here.'"

He said as he began to lay the scarf around her neck and over her shoulders, letting it droop down the front of her collar.

"Perfect."

Artoria looked down to the scarf, and without a word spoken she turned to continue browsing but held the dangling bit of the scarf between her fingers. She picked out a few things as Shirou followed her around, and then asked him to sit by the dressing area as she went and found some undergarments. She took one of the outfits she was most proud of making to the dressing area and began to change.

Shirou waited outside, perhaps with a bit more excitement than he should. But he could tell she had been enjoying herself, so perhaps that's why he was feeling this way. The door clicks, and Artoria steps out, drawing Shirou's attention immediately.

Artoria wore a white jacket over a black turtle neck long sleeve shirt, dark blue jeans and knee high brown leather boots. And still neatly wrapped around her neck was the blue scarf.

"Woah..." was all Shirou had to say, and Artoria blushed.

"Does it look awful?" she asked nervously, and Shirou jumped up to his feet.

"No! You... You look beautiful." he said in amazement, though he would probably think she looked good in just about anything. Though he then noticed something else fluffy sticking out of the shopping bag.

"Hey what are those?" he asked, and Artoria's cheeks turned pink as she looked over.

"Oh... Nothing... I..." Artoria started, but then trailed off as Shirou marched over to the bag and picked out two slippers, each with a lions head on the end, and Shirou could not help but chuckle just a little. Much to Artoria's dissatisfaction.

"Shirou... Again, you are making feel unreasonably angry... Lions are a totally reasonable thing to like." she stated, though she still sounded a bit embarrassed.

"No... There's nothing wrong with it! I love them, Artoria. They fit you perfectly" he said, trying to save himself from a repeat of last time.

She glared at him for a few moments, "Good. I'm ready to go home, Shirou."

"You don't wanna stop for food or anything?" he asked as he chased after her towards the clerk.

"I much prefer your cooking. Though perhaps we could grab some tea on the way..."

Shirou nodded, "Fine, only if you help me clean up afterward." he said playfully, looking at her to see her reaction.

"We'll see."

* * *

** Clock Tower, London **

Waver had been staring a lecture he had been writing for hours, for some reason his mind had randomly blanked and he hasn't been able to think of anything. Part of it was likely because he did not feel he should be sitting here taking care of all these kids that came through. He wanted to do something extraordinary again, something great. Ever since he earned the title of Lord, and took his place as head of his family, life had become increasingly mundane.

"Good evening, Lord El-Melloi _the second."_ a voice chimed from behind him, and he slowly straightened himself out, stood and turned around to look at the man that called to him.

"Or should I call you, Waver?" Merlin finished sarcastically, as he let his eyes wander across the walls of the room, that were covered in video game merchandise.

"Well then, you seem to know who I am, but I do not know you." Waver retorted, his expression as emotionless as ever, a far cry from how he was in the last Holy Grail War.

"A friend." Merlin started, and began to walk over to a cabinet near the same wall Waver's desk was against. He rested his weight on his staff as he continued, "As you know the last Grail was destroyed... But the Greater Grail, lays dormant in Fuyuki still.

Waver's eyes shifted to the cabinet Merlin was staring at, there was no way he could know what's in there, could he? Who was this man?

"A friend... Okay, friend. Are you insinuating that a Greater Grail War is in the making?" Waver questioned, remaining neutral.

"Indeed. And if the wrong side wins this war, this world will be gone forever as you know it. It will need great leaders, I'm sure you know what I mean, hmm?" Merlin turned his gaze from the cabinet back to Waver, who then looked back to Merlin as well.

"Hmph." was the only response he gave Merlin.

The Magus of Flowers smirked ever so slightly and bowed his head, "We will meet again... I'll let myself out." he says as he walks towards the door, which then seems to open on its own before Merlin exits.

Waver then quickly walks over to the cabinet and digs into his pocket to retrieve a key. He instantly unlocks it and pulls it open, exhaling in relief that it was still there. He reaches down, and picks up the piece of Alexander's cloak he had used for the catalyst before, then squeezes it tightly in his hand, knowing what he had to do.


	4. Lost In Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, got caught up reading another story I'm enjoying and it caused me to put this aside. Anyway, Hope you guys enjoy it.

** Ryuodu temple **

"This is so bullshit!" a girl's voice echoed loudly through the grand hall of the Ryuodu temple. She paced back and forth with her arms crossed in front of her. "I can take him myself. If they kill him, we're going to have a problem, you-" she was then cut off by the other female voice.

"Patience, child... The last time you two fought, she defeated you, remember? And that was before she had Avalon returned to her... Should you face her now, you would lose for sure." Morgan tried to reason with the girl, but she had none of it.

"So you wish to weaken my opponent for me before I strike? Dishonorable. I can kill both of them by myself, just lemme show you." she demanded as she stopped just in front of a fresh corpse. The notion that she couldn't defeat Artoria on her own was offending and just plain _wrong_. Surely

Morgan lifted her right arm, covered in command seals. After gathering a group of magi to form what was to be called the red team, she deceived them, murdering them all in mid summons and robbing them of their command seals. Leaving her in command of all seven servants on this side of the war.

"Do not fret... By the time this pathetic little war is over, you will have achieved two wishes, and I will have put things back where they are meant to be." Morgan concluded with a menacing smile.

* * *

**Mount Miyama**

The sun was setting by the time Shirou and Artoria had finished their tea and exited the cafe hand in hand. They didn't eat because they both preferred homecooked meals, _especially_ Artoria. Shirou, on the other hand, was also a bit anxious, unsure of how to explain to Taiga that Artoria will be staying with him now. And the fact they are together.

"What's bothering you, Shirou?" Artoria asked, noticing the look of concern etched onto his face.

"It's just... Taiga... She's very protective, I don't know how we're gonna tell her about... Well, us..." he answered pensively, his gaze cast towards his feet as they walk down the sidewalk.

Artoria considered his words for a moment in silence before she spoke up as if the answer was obvious, "The truth, Shirou... Secrets are dangerous, I would know more than most."

"I guess you're right... I just hope she takes it well..." he replies, still feeling a bit anxious. Noticing this, Artoria gives his hand a brief squeeze, and as Shirou looks to her and the soft smile on her lips, his worries seem to melt away.

Despite feeling wide awake only moments ago, Artoria made the mistake of leaning her shoulder onto Shirou as they sat near the back of the bus. It didn't take long for her head to find a comfortable place over his shoulder, and Shirou smiled, holding her hand over her lap as she slept. His gaze lingered over her motionless form for a moment, before looking out the window, the beauty colored into the sky by the setting sun paled in comparison to the woman at his side.

As the bus arrived at their stop, Shirou contemplated carrying her the rest of the way back, she looked so peaceful in her current state, but before he could act, he could hear her voice speak softly.

"Oh, we're back?" she said as she lifted her head from his shoulder and stretched her arms up.

"Yeah, let's go. Hopefully, they aren't too mad that we are late." Shirou said with a smile, taking her by the hand as he led her off the bus.

As they began to near their street, they immediately could tell something was wrong. A feeling in their gut, mixed with the familiar sensation of magic in the air, had to be servants. They looked at each other, and then quickly picked their pace up into a run. When suddenly, Artoria shoves Shirou violently into the grass next to the sidewalk. Before he could voice confusion over the sudden shove, a large man with a massive spear, dawning what looked to be Chinese Dynasty Era armor crashed into the space he was standing. The man impaled his spear into the concrete with a thundering crack.

He had short red hair with red feathers on top of his head and white blank plain eyes. He wore a red Chinese general uniform, including large armor and thick fur trim at the collar and gloves.

"Impressive." the man stated, looking over to Artoria, "I was not expecting a human to be able to sense my attack, much less avoid it."

Artoria was standing in the road, and in a swirl of wind, her armor materialized on her. She then held Excalibur out in front of her in both hands, concealed by Invisible Air.

"You will see I am full of surprises. Who are you, and what are you doing here?" she replied curtly.

Shirou scurried back from the man while still on his ass, as the large spear-wielding servant ripped his spear from the earth. The look of shock on his face was evident as he stared at Artoria, his mind completely taken off his original target.

'How is this possible? This woman was not a servant, yet she holds incredible magical power... And I cannot see what is in her hands, but unless she's playing games, I should be mindful of it.'

He thought to himself, then raised his spear and aimed it at the woman, ignoring her question, "Guess I'll just have to kill you first, then I'll deal with the boy." he said with a sneer, even with her display of aptitude the man exuded confidence.

Artoria glared, realizing his intentions were originally to attack Shirou angered her, she would not allow it, "Prepare yourself!" she shouted.

Before he could move, Artoria had made the first move. Mana exploding from her body as she burst towards him at incredible speed. So sudden, he narrowly parried her first blow that was thrust towards his chest. She had him on his back foot, as they traded at speeds no mortal could possibly match. Her blade clashed with the tip of his spear in a flurry of sparks that only appeared as a blur to Shirou.

Shirou stood on his feet, and he wanted nothing more than to do something to help Artoria, but at the pace they were fighting, he knew he would only get in the way. Plus, from the looks of things, Artoria had the upper hand.

Artoria was fighting at her peak, nothing holding her back, whether it be a class or mana. Her Magic Core thrummed inside her chest as she pushed herself, whoever this person was, he had almost ended Shirou in a single surprise attack. He was definitely no slouch either, and she was able to catch him off guard.

Artoria sent a powerful horizontal cut towards her opponent's midsection, which he managed to block at the last moment. The force of her blow sent him skidding back along the road, his boots ripping up the pavement below himself.

The Chinese Warrior grunted, and leveled his spear with Artoria once again, "Who are you?" he asked out of both anger and wonder.

Now it was her turn to ignore his question and launched another flurry of attacks. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shirou standing, but what caused her to panic was the man slinking up behind him.

"Shirou! Behind you!" she screamed, and the distraction gave her enemy a chance to land a blow with the butt of his spear. The attack hit her right in the chest, thankfully it was a spot where her magical armor would give her protection, but she could still feel the air knocked from her lungs.

Shirou dove to the right, narrowly avoiding a barrage of ninja stars that stuck into the grass where he was previously standing. The one responsible for the attack was wearing all black, entirely reminiscent of what you'd see a ninja look like from movies.

As Shirou crawled away from the attacker on his back once again, he felt his hand brush up against the post of a small sign picketed in the ground.

He swiftly pulled it free, ripped the rectangular "Free Biscuits" sign from the top off, tossed it aside, and held the stake in front of himself.

The Assassin moved over in front of Shirou and scoffed at the idea he would fight him with a wooden post. He drew his own weapon, a Katana, from his back and prepared to make quick work of his target.

"Trace, on..."

Blue lines of magic began to flow their way up the piece of wood in his hands.

"Reinforcing auxiliary components."

'Shirou, Keep your guard up.'

As he prepared to fight, he could recollect Artoria's teachings from before in his mind. He did not become a master swordsman by any means, but he could at least hold his ground at times against her if he can just keep his ground long enough for her to defeat the other...

The Assassin stepped forward, sending a diagonal cut from the top right to bottom left. He assumed his attack would breeze right through Shirou's joke of a weapon and bisect him afterward. The look in his eyes drew a smirk on Shirou's face as he deflected it to the side in a burst of sparks.

Artoria winced; she knew the blow would leave a rather nasty looking bruise on her chest. She grunted and rushed towards Shirou, only to be cut off by the Spearman. She'd have to end this quick.

"Normally, I'd never offer you the chance to escape, Spearman. However, you are blocking me from Shirou."Artoria stated, lifting her sword in front of herself again, holding it in both hands. Her breathing was heavy but steady. Training to be a knight her whole life has taught her many things, and controlling your breathing is a significant aspect of fighting.

He stared back at her incredulously for a moment in silence, before erupting into a fit of laughter. Artoria grimaced, her gaze moving from the Spearman to the other servant that was currently locked in combat with Shirou.

_'Please, hold on.'_

Shirou was getting more confident with every blow he blocked and parried. However, he made a mistake when he tried to counter with a thrust towards the Assassin's chest. The Assassin easily parried and flung the piece of reinforced wood from Shirou's hands, and planted a kick on his chest that sent him on his back.

Artoria panicked, and tried once again to rush past the Lancer servant in front of her, but was cut off once more. In her haste to protect Shirou, she had left herself open, and the tip of her opponent's spear grazed the unarmored portion of her shoulder, causing her to yell out in pain.

She watched as the Assassin raised the katana above his head, Shirou closed his eyes, thinking of something he could trace to save himself from the attack. He would not be fast enough though, as the blade fell, surely to cut him down the middle.

Before the katana could reach its mark, it was swiftly halted by another blade, which had arrived at the last possible moment. Artoria exhaled deeply, Shirou nearly taken away from her in a moment, and she began to wonder what it must have felt like for Shirou to watch her fade away...

Sir Bedivere stared the Assassin in the eyes, blood dripping down from a cut on the side of his head. The clothes he had just bought with rin were in tatters, more blood leaking from a wound on his stomach. The Assassin thought the knight had already been defeated and left for dead in the Emiya Residence, but here he was.

"Where did you take her!" he shouted, it was unlike him to show such raw emotion. He was usually the voice of reason and calm temperament amongst the round table. Not the most talented with a blade, but he found his way to be an asset in other methods such as diplomacy.

His demand confused both Artoria and Shirou for a moment. However, they quickly realized why he shouted that, as they could not see Rin anywhere.

Sir Bedivere let his guard down, and when they were ambushed by three servants, he was unable to stop the third from taking Rin. Already not being the most proficient fighter, he was quickly defeated and left to die inside the house. They were intent on finishing him, but noticing that Shirou and Artoria were arriving, they decided to prepare for a second ambush, as they were the intended targets to begin with.

He grunted as he dug his shoes into the grass and shoved forward, sending the shocked Assassin staggering backward.

Both the Assassin and what had to be a Lancer-class servant then stood next to each other were preparing for another attack. Bedivere rushed up to next to Artoria in the road, despite being severely injured.

"You're only going to get yourself killed, Bedivere, stand down." Artoria commanded, her gaze never leaving the two enemies before her.

Her words showed emotion, care, something Bedivere was not used to hearing from what was once his king. He stared at her dumbly for a moment, struggling to understand how she seemed to have changed her entire being over what was only a few moments to him. He enjoyed the change, and even though she was no longer a king by traditional sense, he would always heed her command.

She felt his gaze on her but chose to ignore it. Strengthing her grip on Excalibur. Right now, these two wanted to kill Shirou, and she was sure it was her elder sister, Morgan, that was behind it. And she was not about to let that happen. Morgan was the reason behind nearly everything negative that had happened in her life, and she would not let her take the one person who made her feel it was okay to be happy.

Her eyes narrowed, and her resolve steeled.

**_Mana Burst_ **

The first to feel her blade was the Assassin, as skilled as he was pushed back by her speed and fury. He then dug his feet into the pavement and launched himself in the air, where the Lancer came charging in from behind him, his large spear clashing with her cloaked blade. Sweat was beginning to form on her brow, and her feeling fatigued.

Shirou was never the best fighter, but he surely was not going to sit there and let her fight alone. A promise he made to himself so long ago, regardless of how little he could do, she would never be alone again. In anything.

"Trace, on."

_'I will fight with her, side by side.'_

And as he has done before, Caliburn had begun to form in his hands. He could not fully use its power without Artoria's help, but a powerful weapon in the hands of anyone all the same.

He charged in from behind Artoria, but he knew they were too quick or strong for him. Blue magical circuitry began to form across his body, his magic circuits flooding with mana.

_'Reinforcing organic components.'_

He immediately felt his body strengthen, his footsteps carrying him even further with each stride. The blade in his hand felt lighter, his vision more acute. He arrived just in time to block the Assassin's strike from behind, trying to take Artoria by surprise as her weapon was locked with Lancers.

He did not relent and charged after Assassin, who was put on the back foot in complete surprise by Shirou's sudden competence. He was told that Shirou was an easy target, and only the woman was to be taken seriously, but surely they had all been fooled.

Bedivere watched in awe as Shirou mirrored Artoria's swordsmanship, it was not at the same level, but the style was the same, the movement, technique. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped as he looked over to see Merlin now standing beside him.

"Merlin?" he stammered, he had a few questions he wanted to ask, like why he had left them without a word. But at the moment, he was glad he was here to help them at a time like this at all.

He tapped the bottom of his staff against the road, weeds and vines forming along fences began to grow. The plant life seemed to come alive, and reach for the servants fighting Shirou and Artoria. This shocked both sides, it was the Assassin who took this opportune moment to strike while everyone's guard was down.

"SHIROU!" Artoria shouted out, her intuition causing her to jump in action

Shirou furrowed his brows and looked towards Artoria as she called out to him, he noticed the anguish on her face, and before he could understand why he felt the edge of the Assassin's blade thrust into his gut. The magic reinforcing Shirou's body began to fade, and he fell down to his knees as the Assassin drew back his sword in a spray of blood.

Shirou looked down at the wound and placed his hands over it, the pain was unbearable, combined with exhaustion from reinforcing his body for the first time.

It appeared as though the Assassin was about to finish the job, bringing his blade up once more, surely this time nothing would stop him.

What he did not expect was Artoria's sword. She thrust it towards him, unable to get there in time to block the strike. Starting from the hilt, the invisible air concealing Excalibur began to peel away, revealing the awe-inspiring golden glow of the Holy Sword. The light magnified at the tip, before erupting in a stream of energy. The blast engulfed the Assassin in his entirety, and Shirou fell onto his back, going motionless.

By the time her attack had ended, nothing was left of the Assassin, leaving the Lancer standing there speechless. And he quickly faded away in retreat.

Artoria lowered her sword, her breathing heavy and ragged. Her gaze then moved to Shirou, who was still on his back, blood flowing from the blow to his stomach freely.

She fell to her knees by his side, and planted her hands on his shoulder, shaking him, "Shirou!" she shouted in distress, and she had felt helpless until a phrase entered her mind.

_'You are my sheath, Shirou."_

She closed her eyes and moved her hand to her chest. It had originally been given to her but felt in her heart that it belonged with him. A connection that allowed them to meet, and also allowed them to be reunited once more. And now, it will save Shirou's life once more.

She pulled Avalon from her chest, and it burned bright as ever, illuminating the two in the darkness of the road. Merlin and Bedivere simply watched from a distance, in awe at what she would do for him.

She pushed the holy relic into Shirou, and could already notice that it had already gone to work as his bleeding stopped. She lowered a hand down to Shirou's head, and stroked her fingers over his red locks of hair for a moment, as she admired the man she had fallen for. In the past, she would have been angered by his need to protect her, but she could understand now what drove him. As she would do whatever it took defend him, even if it meant her own life.

Artoria then slipped an arm underneath his knees and secured her other beneath his back to lift him.

As she turned, she could see Merlin standing smugly in the road, "We will have words soon, Merlin." she declared before carrying Shirou to his room and laying him down on his bed. Her eyes averted back to Shirou as she pushed through the doorway, which was barely hanging on by the hinges. There was a clear sign of struggle in the house, the dining area seemingly had the most damage done to it. The TV was on the floor, cut in half, same with the table.

Artoria carried him into his room and laid him down over his bed. She knew Rin was in trouble, and had much she wanted to ask of Merlin. But that could wait, she would remain here again until he awoke. It was also now that she vowed to herself internally, that she would teach Shirou how to fight. If he was going to stand beside her on the field of battle, she had to know she could rely on him to hold his own ground against servants or whatever else may be thrown at them.

Merlin sighed, knowing that Artoria was going to scold him. All he had done in his mind as gone out to recruit allies.

"Merlin..." Bedivere called out, causing Merlin to look at him curiously. He was quite injured, but nothing appeared to be severe enough to warrant any concern for his life, the look in the Knights eyes showed a lot of pain however. The pain he felt was not for himself, but for the girl he had allowed to fall in enemy hands.

"I know... But we will need to be smart with how we proceed here." he answered and gestured for Bedivere to follow him inside, "They wish to lure us into a trap, to act hastily. Our foe does not act without reason, or out of impulse. When Shirou recovers from his injury, we will set out to meet them. But for now, it looks quite clear to me you need some rest yourself." Merlin continued, giving the knight a look up and down.

Meanwhile, Artoria knelt by Shirou's side. She could feel her own body writhe with exhaustion, but knowing the ability of servants, she would not let her guard down for a moment.

* * *

** Ryuodo Temple **

"Fuck off, I am not doing it." the woman in red-engraved armor stated passionately before looking to Rin, who was bound to a chair near one a pillar in the main hall of the temple.

"You know I can just force you to, don't you child?" Morgan replied, a sinister grin forming on her lips. A smile the armored girl knew all too well when she was growing up.

The other servants lurked in the shadows, some staring in disapproval, others in indifference. They all knew something was wrong here, and their Master had been able to bend the rules of the war, controlling all the servants on their side, and absorbing all the command seals as their own. Each of them had their own wish for being there, and none wished to forfeit that wish to attempt and stop her.

It was clear to them that their Master, who calls herself Morgan le Fey, had some form of relationship with the Saber of Red, but it was not clear what it was. Perhaps family?

Mordred remained quiet, grunting as she looked away from Morgan, "You're gonna have to use one of those seals then, cause I will not willingly lower myself to such a level."

Morgan sighed, "Very well, a waste, but I will enjoy it none the less." she said as she looked back to Rin, who had been glaring at Morgan for the entirety of their conversation, "Now, girl. Where were the others? Just tell us and we will let you go. Shirou, Merlin, and _Artoria_..." she asked, Rin could practically hear venom coming from her mouth at the mention of Artoria.

"I don't know, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you." Rin answered with ire, her brows furrowed in defiance.

Morgan rolled her eyes, and lifted her arm, "Convince her, Mordred." one of the command seals faded on her arm, and forced Mordred into action. She raised her armored hand and struck Rin across the face, opening a cut below her left eye.

"Just answer her..." Mordred asked, and the tone of her voice surprised Rin, as it sounded not so much as a command, but a plea.

Rin whimpered from the blow, but quickly looked back up at Mordred, the same look of defiance still embedded on her face. Mordred winced, and lifted her hand to strike again, but was interrupted as Lancer suddenly appeared and fell down to a knee.

"I found them..." he stated, panting from exhaustion. He looked up to Morgan, but his attention was quickly taken by Rin, who was innocent in his eyes and reminded him of a woman he knew in his past.

* * *

** Emiya Residence **

Shirou opened his eyes, he'd only been resting a few hours, and the moon was still high surrounded by stars. He noticed Artoria was knelt by the table in his room, looking down at something in her hands. Only upon sitting up did he see she held the stuffed lion on her lap.

"Hey." he muttered, causing Artoria to flinch as she was pulled from her reverie, "I didn't know if I'd ever be able to give that to you..." he said, moving to sit next to her.

"I never told you why I favored lions, have I Shirou?" she asked as though she already knew the answer.

"I just thought it was natural, it fits you." he said as he moved a hand around her waist, his gaze moving from her face to the lion.

"When I was young, before I became a knight. I was being raised and trained by Sir Ector, and my brother Kay." she started, her gaze still locked on the stuffed animal. Shirou did not speak, his gaze shifting back up to her, "I became very sick... And, I don't think they knew if I was going to make it. Kay... He carved a piece of wood, shaped like a lion. To try and comfort me." she continued quietly, before pulling the stuffed lion to her chest to hold it tightly, "I miss him, Shirou... Near the end, I was unable to show him the affection he showed me when I was younger..."

Emotions she had once buried while on the path of a king have begun to come to the surface, and she had no idea how to deal with them. Such things had no place when you were entrusted with the safety of a kingdom. In doing so she had pushed away anyone she had once loved, or who had loved her. Now realizing these faults she could not help but wish to reach out to those who had felt betrayed, and tell them how she really felt. To tell Kay, Sir Ector about Shirou.

"You can't blame yourself, Artoria..." he said in an attempt to comfort her, and he began to caress her side with his hand before pulling her closer. And an idea crossed his mind, it was crazy, but when the time was right, he would bring it up. Right now, she was opening up to him, something that was always hard for her, and he was going to be there for her.

"As long as you did what you believed to be right, you cannot regret what you've done." he said softly, reiterating words once said long ago.

"I know... Thank you, Shirou."

She opened her eyes and looked into his own, and saw someone who would love her no matter what, ever since they met, he had always put her before himself, and never hesitated. He was the first one to truly make her feel happy and show her that she deserved to be so.

She closed her eyes and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on Shirou's lips, that he gingerly returned. Such tender acts made bumps rise on her skin and a chill down her spine. Feelings of joy and desire filling her in a way no other person could give her. She let the lion slip from her fingers as her left hand moved over to his chest, to which Shirou quickly flinched and pulled back. His mind not realizing that his injury had already healed in entirety.

Artoria thought she had done something wrong, and a flush rose to her cheeks and up towards her ears, "Did I do something?" she asked hesitantly.

"No... NO... I just..." he lifted his shirt to look for the injury, "Wait... How..." he asked, but he knew the answer the moment the question left his lips, "Did you..." he asked again, to which Artoria gave him a smile in response,

"You are my sheath, Shirou."

He understood, and though he would wish she would keep it to protect herself, he knew the meaning behind her words. So he did not protest.

Their moment was then interrupted by a series of knocks by Merlin's staff on the door, before quickly pulling the door to his room open.

"We need to move, they will return with more now that they know we are here." Merlin seemed urgent, and he checked over his shoulder as if he were expecting someone to strike from the shadows at any moment. "Hope I didn't interrupt..." he said with a subtle smirk as he glanced back to the two.

"Where are we going?" Shirou asked for both himself and Artoria, ignoring Merlin's last remark.

"I had acquired us some allies in my absence. Which we will need if we are going to win this war." Merlin gestured for the two to follow, "Do not take long, we must leave soon."

Shirou sighed, and looked back to Artoria who's face was red as a tomato, "Uh, are you okay?" Shirou asked, furrowing his brows.

Artoria had grown comfortable around Shirou, but still, being seen in such intimate situations by others, especially by someone like Merlin, was new and awkward for her.

"Uhm... Yes, I am fine... We should get going." Artoria stood, up, but not before taking the stuffed lion with her, "I am going to pack my clothes before we go."

Shirou sighed, and stood up with her, "Good idea, I'll grab us a few bags... I should probably find some new clothes for Sir Bedivere as well, he looked rather beat up."

"He's been through worse, but yes. That would probably be wise to do. We should probably get him to a doctor as well." she added, frowning as she realized that she neglected the Knights health for so long.

Merlin was keeping vigil out front, idly tapping his fingers along the shaft of his staff. His mind was heavily at work, trying to figure out every path they could go down, however, with how much things have been skewed, it was all unclear and entirely unpredictable. This war happened far too soon, perhaps because the last two wars ended in the destruction of the grail. Either way, it was only a matter of time until something arrived to correct the timeline or return to their original times on their own. One thing he knew for sure is that they would have to make a difficult choice in the near future.

He was pulled from his thoughts as the group exited through what was left of the front door. Bedivere had one of Kiritsigu's old black suits on, which seemed to fit him rather well.

"Okay, I think we're ready." Shirou stated with a nod as he looked to Merlin. He then noticed a set of headlights turn on in the distance, parked alongside the road.

The vehicle drove up directly in front of where the group was standing, the windows were blacked out. Even Merlin seemed taken by surprise by the arrival of the vehicle.

Inside were two people, one was a man wearing the unmistakable garb of a Catholic priest. The other was a young female with blonde hair, wearing what looked to be a school uniform, though it was unlike the one from their school. It was a blue overcoat with a white blouse, blue shorts and stockings.

It was the man that first called out.

"Get in, we have much to discuss."

**Author's Note:**

> I took my time writing it, and finally got an idea of where I am going to take this. I don't usually publish my fanfics as they are a personal endeavor for me, but I feel like sharing this with everyone. As long as I keep my motivation up I plan to take this down a long, and twisting road. Future chapters will likely be twice as long as this, with far more action. I can't wait to get to their reunification!


End file.
